Roller sled



March 22, 1949. c, JOsT 2,464,868

ROLLER SLED Filed Dec. 27, 1946 18 Flag A- 6 I 623 NW!" V W L w W J [293 14 f y a; H

A 3 i 7 {I4 "[4 12 6 a 05 W A v .ED/MUND C. JUST 1 '--%.5 9

Patented Mar.- 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a new and improved roller sled of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of this invention resides in the provision of a new and improved sled type vehicle for the amusement and exercise of children which is provided with, in the place of the conventional snow engaging runners, a solid disc roller means for allowing the movement of the sled on a smooth surface.

Another object of this invention is the .provision of a roller sled, such as set forth herein, which will bring much enjoyment and healthful exercise to children living in those places where snow is a scarcity or completely unknown, as well as for use during the summer months throughout the world when there is a decided lack of snow in all localities.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a sled of the character described which provides for a vehicle being constructed very close to the ground eliminating the danger inherent with the operation of an elevated vehicle by children, and a sled which may be easily propelled on the horizontal and which will easily coast on an inclined surface allowing the children to assume a sitting or prone position thereon, said sled being provided with a safe and easily operated steering means so disposed as to be available to an occupant thereof in either of the aforesaid positions.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a device of the character described which affords an inexpensively and durablyconstructed amusement vehicle for use by children, and such a vehicle which is safely and easily operated by children of various ages.

Still further objects and advantages of this invention will readily appear to those skilled in the art when the following description is read in th light of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 2 with the steering mechanism illustrated in a dotted alternate position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of this invention and in which like numerals indicate'similar parts throughout A designates an elongated sled body or rectangular fiat member of wood or the like which is secured horizontally to the upper ends of a pair of vertically dis-posed side members, I and 2, or wood or the like which extends substantially the entire length of the member at the outer side edges thereof and which are interconnected at spaced intervals throughout the length by cross braces 3 and 4 secured thereto and beneath the horizontal top member A.

At a position at a spaced distance forward the rear end of the members I and 2 are provided a pair of inverted U-shaped bearing brackets 5 and 6 secured directly opposite to the under sidesof the members i and 2 and in which is rotatably mounted an elongated cylindrical roller. 1 depending below the lower ends of the members I and 2 and providing a wheeled support beneath the rearward ends thereof.

The members I and 2 are cut out as at 8 for a spaced distance rearwardly from the forward end thereof providing the necessary room for the steering movement of the forward roller which is about to be described.

A horizontal brace or member 9 extends transverse the under side of the member A being secured between the members i and 2, and a second transverse member or brace i0 is pivotally secured beneath the member 9 at the center thereof by means of shaft 9'. and a washer 26 is arranged between the members 9 and I0 and positioned on the shaft 9'. The member 9 is provided at its outer ends with a pair of depending braces H which extend downwardly for a spaced distance therefrom. The lower ends of these braces comprise a circular member l2 adapted to rotatably receive from the inner sides thereof the extended cylindrical ends l3 of the front cylindrical roller I3 which depends for a spaced distance therebelow to lie in the same horizontal plane with the rear roller 1. An L- shaped arm I4 is secured beneath and in a rearwardly extended position with the top member A and a steering post or cylindrical pin I5 is rotatably mounted between said L-shaped arm and the upper member A being provided with a circular disc l6 at the lower end thereof beneath the L-shaped arm having a pair of washers l1 circumferentiating it between the lower side of the L-shaped arm and the disc maintaining them in a constant spaced relationship. The upper end of the pin I5 is provided with an elongated handlebar I8 which extends transverse the member A in an extended position beyond thereof and which is maintained at a spaced distance from the top surface of the member A by a second pair of washers l9 oirumferentiating the pin 15 therebetween.

A metallic band or strap member 20 is secured as at 2| at each of its ends to the outer sides of the two bearing members I 2 in which the forward roller is rotatably mounted, said band extending forwardly around the forward end of the disc 16 to which it is secured by a set screw 22 adapting it for rotation with said disc when said pin is rotated by a pivotation of the handlebar l8 by the occupant of the sled.

Thus it may be seen that by drawing one end of the handlebar l8 rearwardly the pin will rotate therewith rotating the disc 16 cooperatively with the handlebar thus causing the metallic band 20 to rotate the forward roller l3 about its supporting axis placing it in such a position as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3 thereby adapting the sled to be turned or steered.

A further provision of this sled lies in a pair of holes 23 provided in side by side relationship in the top member A at a spaced distance rearwardly from the handlebar l8 adapting an ocoupant of the sled to place his feet therein when in a sitting position on the sled, and a rope 24 being secured to the handlebar at each end thereof being looped rearwardly adapting the occupant to actuate the handlebar and steer the sled from such a sitting position.

Thus it may be seen that a child or the like may assume a prone position on the upper surface of the top member A making the handlebar l8 readily available for actuation from such a position to steer the sled when it is being propelled on the horizontal or coasting on an inclined surface, as well as providing a substantial sitting space for the occupant for operation from that position as described.

It may also be seen that a sled of this type may be constructed from any desirable material either of wood, metal or the like, and may be constructed in a variety of sizes adapting it for use by one or more children at the same time for the safe and healthy exercise and enjoyment thereof.

Having thus described and explained the construction and function of this invention and with full belief that modifications in size, material and general characteristics would not constitute departure from the spirit of this invention what I desire to claim in Letters Patent is:

In a roller sled comprising a horizontally-disposed sled body having a rotatable steering post adjacent to one end thereof, a first rotatable roller located transversely beneath the other end of the sled body, a second rotatable roller located transversely beneath the forward portion of said sled body intermediate the first roller and the steering post and mounted for turning movement in a horizontal plane, and steering means operated by said steering post for steering the second roller, the improvement which includes a pair of downwardly-extending parallel sides upon said sled body, a pair of bearings upon the lower edges of the sides rotatably supporting the first roller, a disc upon the steering post beneath the sled body with a transverse brace pivotally mounted beneath said sled body rearwardly of said disc and having a pair of depending braces at the ends thereof beneath and out of contact with said sides, the latter having cut out clearance portions for said depending braces and the lower portions of said depending braces forming bearings for rotatably supporting the ends of the second roller, and a flexible strap member secured to one portion of the periphery of said disc and secured at the ends thereof to said depending braces exteriorly of the ends of said second roller, said disc and braces together with said flexible strap forming the steering means of said roller sled.

EDMUND C. JOST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 424,164 Bankson Mar. 25, 1890 571,665 Herron Nov. 17, 1896 1,572,789 Griflin Feb. 9, 1926 2,404,506 Lindgren July 23, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 102,779 Switzerland Dec. 17, 1923 382,279 Great Britain Oct. 20, 1932 

